Baggage rack



March 7, 1961 M. L. RAYMOND BAGGAGE RACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May s, 1958 Fig.5

Ma/ca/m L. Raymond 1N VENTOR.

BY WW E M1 M. L. RAYMOND BAGGAGE RACK March 7, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 8, 1958 Fig.6

Fig. 7 WW\WWWNWN W\T Malcolm L. Raymond INVENTOR.

United States Patentf) BAGGAGE RACK Malcolm L. Raymond, 88 Osborne St., Johnstown, Pa.

Filed May 8, 1958, Ser. No. 733,856

4 Claims. (Cl. 211--90) This invention relates in general to baggage racks and similar supporting articles and pertains more particularly to such device which is capable of being, easily loaded and unloaded.

The problem which this invention seeks to overcome is probably best explained in connection with a railway passenger car although it is to be understood that this invention has other and different uses. In railway passenger cars, the baggage racks therein are placed at such a height that the average person has difliculty in reaching up to the height of the racks. Consequently, the placing of a heavy suitcase or luggage upon such racks and removing them from the racks is particularly difficult and, indeed, sometimes impossible. If the racks were able to be tilted downwardly during the placing or removing of baggage thereof, the task would be infinitely easier. It is therefore of primary concern in connection with this invention to provide an improved type of baggage rack or the like which is capable of being tilted forwardly and downwardly at its forward edge so as to make both the operation of placing baggage or similar articles on the rack and the removal of such articles therefrom easier.

Another object of thislinvention is to provide an improved shelf or rack assembly including the association of the shelf or rock with supporting means therefor in which a limited and precise type of movement is permitted between the shelf and the brackets mounting the same so as to shift the supporting point for the shelf relative to its center of gravity whereby to permit of a-downwardly and forwardly tilting action, when desired, and which will also permit the shelf or rack to assume a horizontal article supporting position. I

Still another object of this invention is to provide improvements in rack or'shelf assemblies wherein a support for the rack is so associated with respect thereto as to permit a forward and rearward shifting of the rack relative to the support such that in one position of the rack relative to the supporting means, the weight of the rack will be thrown rearwardly such that abutment surfaces at the rear of the rack will serve to hold the same in a substantially horizontal position and where, in another position of the rack relative to the supporting means, the weight of the rack will be thrown forwardly so as to permit a forward and downward tilting of the rack to permit baggage or similar articles to be easily placed upon or removed from the rack assembly.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which: 7 v

Figure 1 is a side elevational view illustrating the invention in its normal or supporting position;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l-but showing the rack assembly or shelf in the forwardly and downwardly tilting position and permitting articles to be easily placed thereupon or removed therefrom;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the rack assembly;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the plane of section line 44 in Figure 3 illustrating the connection between the rack and its supporting brackets;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the bracket assembly;

Figure 6 is a front elevational view illustrating a modified form of rack or shelf construction utilizing the principles of this invention;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the assembly shown in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 8-8 of Figure 6 and illustrating the operative connection between the shelf or rack and the mounting brackets or supports therefor;

Figure 9 illustrates the forwardly and downwardly position of the rack assembly and is a view similar to that shown in Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a perspective view of one of the stop members utilized in conjunction with the form of the in: vention illustrated in Figures 69 inclusive.

Referring at this time more particularly to Figures 1-5 inclusive, the reference numeral 10 indicates generally a wall panel or the like such as the side wall of a Pullman car. The baggage rack constructed in accordance with this invention consists essentially of a rack assembly indicated generally by the reference character 11 and a sup; porting bracket assembly indicated generally by the reference character 12. As can be seen most clearly in Figure 5, the bracket assembly 12 includes a pair of individual support members 13 and 14, each of which is provided, at its butt end, with a depending ear such as those indicated by the reference characters 15 and 16 suitably apertured as indicated by reference characters 17 and 18 for'the reception of suitable fasteners suchtas 19, see particularly Figure 1, whereby the brackets are rigidly affixed to the wall 10. The outer free ends 20 and 21 of the brackets 13 and 14 are rigidly interconnected by a support shaft 22 which extends therebetween and is rigidly affixed thereto and which shaft, as herein.- after described, forms a support for the rack assembly 11;

Each bracket 13 and 14 is further provided with a stop element which is directed laterally inwardly with respect thereto so as to extend toward the opposite bracket, these stop elements being indicated by the reference characters 23 and 24.

The rack assembly 11, as can be best seen in Figure 3, consists essentially of a pair of side frame elements 25 and 26 interconnected rigidly by a series of parallel, spaced rack bars 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31 which extend between and rigidly interconnect the side frame elements 25 and 26. For the purpose of easily permitting baggage or similar articles to be placed upon and removed from the rack assembly, the most forwardly disposed element 31 may be suitably journalled at its opposite ends in the free end portions 32 and 33 of the side frame elements 25 and 26 such that the element 31 is freely rotatable with respect to the rack assembly so as to provide a guide roller upon which articles, rested thereon, may be easily moved onto or off of the rack assembly.

As can best be seen in Figure 4, each of the side frame members 25 and '26 is provided with a longitudinally elongate slot 35 having its forward end portion 36 disposed uppermost and inclining rearwardly and downwardly therefrom to terminate in a portion 37 which is disposed rearwardly of the transverse center of gravity of the rack assembly 11. The'forward end portion 36 of the slot 35 is disposed forwardly of the transverse center of gravity of the rack assembly and it is upon this principle of operation that .therack assembly is permitted Patented Mar. 7 1961 3 of its movement as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and hereinafter described.

The support bar 22 carried by the brackets 13 and 1 passes through elongate slot 35 and provides a two-point support for the rack assembly 11. The rear ends of the side frame elements 25 and 26 are slanted inwardly and forwardly as indicated by the reference characters 38 and 39 and are adapted to provide abutment surfaces engagement with the individual support elements .40 and 41 rigidly affixed to the wall as is best illustrated in Figure 3.

The members 40 and 41 are provided with ears 42 receiving fasteners 43 by means of which they are rigidly afiixed to the wall and they have forwardly projecting main body portions 44 terminating at their forward ends in the forwardly and downwardly inclined faces 45 corresponding and conforming to the faces 38 and 39 on the frame members 25 and 26 so as to be abutted thereagainst in face-to-face relationship. Thus, when the parts are in the position illustrated in Figure l, the surfaces 38 and 39 are in contact with the surfaces 45 so as to provide two additional points of support for the rack assembly 11, serving to support the same in a substantially horizontal position as shown in Figure 1 and also serving to hold any articles or baggage placed thereon. When it is desired to remove the baggage, either the rack assembly 11 or the baggage itself is grasped and pulled forwardly toward the person unloading the baggage which will permit the rack assembly 11 to shift forwardly with respect to the bracket assembly 12 due to the elongate slots 35 and to ultimately assume a downwardly tilted position such as is illustrated in Figure 2, hence, permitting the baggage or articles on the rack to be easily removed therefrom, particularly in view of the rotatable bar element 31 previously described.

The stop elements 23 and 24 will serve to prevent the rack assembly from tilting downwardly too far at its front portion during loading and unloading. It is to be understood that the operation of the device depends upon the placement of the slot 35 relative to the transverse center of gravity of the rack assembly and the articles placed thereon. In the position illustrated in Figures 1 and 4, the support rod 22 is forwardly of the center of gravity of the rack assembly 11 and hence throws the weight thereof against the abutment surfaces 38 and 39 so as to support the assembly in a horizontal position when the rack is pulled forwardly, or to the right as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the shaft 22 passes rearwardly of the transverse center of gravity and permits the natural downward tipping or tilting of rack assembly as illustrated in Figure 2.

To rigidify the members 40 and 41, the same may be interconnected by a cross bar element 46 'as'is best illustrated in Figure 3.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 6-10 inclusive, the rack or shelf assemblyis indicated generally by the reference character 50 whereas the bracket assembly is indicated generally by the reference character 51. The shelf assembly includes a pair of telescopically inter-engaged shelf portions 52 and 53 formed of sheet metal or similar material, the telescopic and inter-engage ment therebetween being for the purpose of permitting the width of the shelf or bracket to be varied as desired since the same is intended for use primarily in conjunction with a closet and between the opposite side walls 54 and 55 thereof it is best illustrated in Figures 6 .and 7.

The-shelf units 52 and '53 are preferably provided with upstanding side flange portions 56 and '57 and with front edge upstanding flange portions 58 and '59 serving :to retain articles thereon, as will 'be readily apparent.

The bracket assembly 51 comprises essentially a pair of base elements 60 and 61 having enlarged mountingfiange portions 62 and -63 rigidly affixed to mounting blocks 64 and 65 as .by means of fasteners 66 and 67, the mounting blocks being in turn suitably fastened to the opposed faces of the walls 54 and 55 by means of suitable fasteners 68 and 69.

The base elements 60 and 61 are so mounted that their tubular main body portions 70 and 71 are in alignment with each other and receive therebetween an intermediate shaft or rod 72 slidably engaged in the opposite ends of the shank portions 70 and 71. Thus, the mounting bracket assembly assembly 51 is extensible so as to accommodate for various widths of closets and to extend between the opposite side walls 54 and 55 thereof.

The positioning of the bracket assembly 51 is such as to permit the rear edge 75 of the shelf assembly 50 to abut against the rear wall 76 of the closet, see particularly Figure 7 in the normal position of the shelf assembly and which abutting relationship serves to normally maintain the shelf in a horizontally disposed normal position. Fixed to the undersides of the shelf units 52 and 53 are depending support elements 77 and 78 having their lower terminal portions 79 and 80 formed with downwardly and rearwardly inclined elongate slots 81 which receive the shank portions 70 and 71 of the base assembly 60 and 61. In the normal position of the assembly, as is illustrated in Figure 8, the shelf assembly 50 is disposed in a horizontal position with the shanks 70 and 71 being received in the forward end portions of the elongate slots 81, which forward end portions of the slots are disposed forwardly of the transverse center of gravity of the shelf assembly and articles placed thereon so as to throw the weight of the shelf together with the articles thereon against the rear wall 76 of the closet. When the articles for the shelf assembly are grasped and pulled forwardly, the slots 81 will permit the portions 70 and 71 to be received in the lower rearward end portions thereof, which rearward ends of the slots are disposed rearwardly of the transverse center of gravity of the shelf assembly such that the weight of the shelf assembly together with the articles thereon will tilt the same downwardly at the front as is best illustrated in Figure 9, thus easily permitting the removal of placing of articles upon the shelf assembly.

To limit the downward tilted position of the shelf assembly as illustrated in Figure 9, stop elements indi cated generally by the reference character and as shown most clearly in Figure 10 are rigidly afiixed to the shank portions 70 and 71 of the base elements 60 and 61. These stop elements each include a boss portion 101 having an aperture 102 therethrough and an associated set screw opening 103 whereby the stop elements are received on the shanks 70 and 71 and may be rigidly affixed thereto in any desired angular position to adjust the tilted position of the shelf as is required. Each stop element also includes a forwardly generally horizontally extending portion 104 terminating at its forward end in an upturned stop ear 105 having an upper end 106 forming an abutment surface against which the undcrsurface of the shelf units 52 and 53 are abulted when in the tilted position shown in Figure 9.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Whatis claimed as new is as follows:

1. A tilting shelf assembly comprising an elongated platform having front and rear portions, 21 supporting bracket assembly for said platform on which said platform is slidable forwardly and rearwardly and tiltable from a horizontal position about a horizontal axis, said bracket assembly comprising a pair of support members at opposite sides of the platform attachable to a wall structure in fixed position and having horizontally aligned pivots, a pair of transverse members on said platform at opposite sides thereof having closed end slots therein through which said pivots extend, said slots having closed front and rear ends terminating forwardly and rearwardly respectively of the transverse center of gravity of said platform and inclining downwardly and rearwardly of 6 the platform to establish the horizontal position of said 15 platform.

6 3. The combination of claim 1, the front portion of said platform comprising a horizontal rotatable rodforming a rotatable hand grip for grasping to tilt and slid said platform.

4. The combination of claim 1, said transverse mem bers comprising brackets depending from said platform, said support members comprising base elements attachable to opposite walls and having said pivots thereon, and angular-1y adjustable stop elements on said pivots for limit- 10 ing downward and forward tilting of said platform.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,607,887 Fowler Nov. 23, 1926 2,249,403 Stollsteimer July 15, 1941 2,379,975 Luger July 10, 1945 

